adding new percula clowns with old ones

perchpsk

Member
I am trying to add 2 new black percs and with my old regular percs. The old perc are a bit bigger and have taken host to a large anenome which they never stray far from. I tried adding the new percs and they were immediately attacked by the old guys. I removed the old guys and am considering rearranging the tank and trying to add them back in after a few days.. Any advice on how to make this work if at all possible? I thought percs were peacful schooling fish?
 

perchpsk

Member
55 gallon with only 2 other small fish - firefish and watchman goby. wanted 4 clowns total if possible, maybe 3. the 2 old guys have been together for 6 months or so and are about 2" to 21/2" the new ones are 1 1/2"
 

tiffster

Member
what about adding a new false perc and an old one into a new tank at the same time? (or one shortly after the other?) Just curious, don't want to steal your thread. :)
 
hey tiff, i just bought a new false perc to go with the old one b/c one of my clowns decided to run into the frogspawn, they are getting along great bull is like three times the size of the new one kinda looks like marlin and nemo/ jerry has some really gorgeous ones in the store right now
 

fshhub

Active Member

Originally posted by Rickster
Great thread.
Original poster must state light and water conditions.
Help all of us.
R

why, what do they have to do with his question? Will they help to answer any of the questions asked?
 

perchpsk

Member
here's an update. The 2 large percs spent the night in the sump. I re-added the smaller 2" one and it was non aggressive for a few hours, then I tried to re-add the largest old perc. (2 1/2") It went straight to terrorizing the small black perc 1" but left the
yellowish 1 1/2" one alone. I diecided to remove the largest old perc and see what happened. The remaining old perc picked up chasing the smallest guy just a little, but left the yellow guy alone. It seems like I can keep 3 of them o.k. but the 4th doesnt work.
 

tiffster

Member
That sucks. What are you gonna do ith the big guy now? Is the one getting picked on a different color? Did I read it right, maybe that's why he's getting picked on. Just a thought. Hard to get inside fishie minds.:)
 

bang guy

Moderator
Thank you for posting the size of the tank.
55 isn't big enough for more than one female. The smaller ones need to be picked on or they will turn female. I suggest you add them all and let them work out their pecking order without interference.
You are NOT going to get two pair of clowns in a 55 that can coexist long term.
 

rickster

Member
depending on the amount of "space"=GALLONS that they have for eeach....doH. somebody gonna female and somebody male. I think if you want a mixed tank (ummm lets see) LIKE clowns....dont listen to THOSE that sell em. DO you really want mixed perculas in your tank?....oops Im kicked off this board again.
R
 

tiffster

Member
okay, so never mind the stuff going on with "rickster."
I want to put the clown I have had for a little over a year in my 55 when it is done cycling. What are my chances of it pairing up with another clown after it's been by itself for so long? I don't want to add another clown and it get beaten up.
 

perchpsk

Member
Bang Guy thanks for the advice/info. I do appreciate it. My whole intention was to add a black perc with the orange ones, but it doesn't seem like it will work out as I hoped. I am going to toss the original percs into my 75 gallon tank and leave the new small black and yellowish perc together in the 55 reef. Oh well, lesson learned, at least nobody died.
 

clarkiiboi

Active Member
perchpsk Sounds like a better plan, as long as the 75 is ok to add the original percs. I agree with Bang, 2 pairs of clowns would be difficult, if not impossible in a 55.
tiffster
You have a good chance of a pair up since you are adding the original fish to a new tank. That is what you are doing right? Just add at the same time or soon after and make sure the new one is smaller. You will have some dominance issues, but at least the territorial issues aren't there now. Good luck.
 

perchpsk

Member
What I ended up doing is adding the 3 small percs to the tank at the same time with hopes they mature together without much fighting. So far they dont even pay attention to one another.
here are some pics of the percs.
Old mated pair
 

broncofish

Active Member
They are all born male, and the dominant one will turn female...and get huge. The bigger of the two is always female
 
Top